


You Love Me Or Hate Me

by AntoniaArcStark



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: (Secret Wars) Alternate Civil War, AU - Canon Divergence, Arc Reactor Never Removed, Civil War Mention, Comics/Movie Crossover, Evil!Steve, Happy Ending, Helpful Steve, Lost Tony, M/M, New Low, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2015-10-03
Packaged: 2018-04-24 13:54:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4922086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntoniaArcStark/pseuds/AntoniaArcStark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony is lost with out the Avengers. Him and Pepper's relationship didn't work out. And he has an OCD about fixing things.</p><p>Steve comes along. Twice.</p><p>One Steve helps. And the second Steve tears him apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Love Me Or Hate Me

**Author's Note:**

> Explanation of where Evil Steve came from:  
> The Warzone in Secret Wars contains a world in which Civil War never ended where it did in the original comics and continued for six more years. Captain America now runs the west side of the United States called "the Blue," operating on his own set of politics compared to Iron Man on his side, "The Iron."
> 
> I love Comic Crossovers. Sorry for the hurt and suffering. But Steve will fix it, I promise :)

It was a wet day. Sometimes Tony would stop working and just sit by the glass window in the Tower and watch the rain drizzle down. He had sunken to a new low, not leaving the workshop. Well, to go to the kitchen to get something to eat was about his daily exercise.  
Him and Pepper had decided to take a break. Things were a little rocky, but they were still as close as ever. She'd come in and see how he was doing, then leave by planting an awkward kiss on his cheek.  
After Ultron, his life seemed to have taken an unexpected crash landing. No Iron Man. No Avengers. No Pepper.  
It wasn't a surprise really by how he took it. Beer, pizza, work, no sleep and more work. And by work, he took a part all 16 of his cars, juiced them up, remodeled the whole kitchen and even gave the workshop a new lick of paint.  
It was a month after he told Steve he was settling down. It was two weeks since the break up. And it was three days since he had taken a shower.  
Tony had crashed and burned.  
Now, with nothing much to do, he just stared at the New York view outside. The rain was kind of peaceful, and Tony felt as if he could finally go to sleep. To just drift off...  
"Stark?"  
He leapt up to his feet, startled and a little unprepared for visitors. Especially Steve. He smelled, he hadn't shaven in a week and he had dark rings round his eyes. All he could do was nervously smile.  
"Rogers. Hey," he greeted, with a short wave. "Um, what are you doing here?"  
Steve gave a lopsided smile, stepping towards the genius. "Rhodey said he'd come to visit. Told me you're needing some help."  
His eyes quickly flashed across Steve's face, taken aback. Help? He didn't need help. He was fine. Absolutely fine. Sure, he'd rearranged the furniture so many times he'd felt _that_ bored. But people rearranged furniture. And it was okay that he'd changed all the bulbs on the entire floor just for something to do. People had to change bulbs.  
It was then he knew he'd finally lost it.  
He stumbled over to Steve, falling at his feet and hugging his legs. The war hero tensed, unsure how to react at the sudden display of affection.  
"I need help, Cap," Tony mumbled into his trouser leg. "I need to be Iron Man again. To be a part of the Avengers. I swear I'm going crazy. You'll help me. _Right_?"  
"Well, uh, of course," Steve replied, patting him on the back nervously. "But Tony... please, please get a shower."  
Rising to his feet, he pressed a smile to his lips and saluted him, "Alright then. Um, but, just... stay in here, okay? Don't leave."  
Cap nodded, worry melting across his features. He knew what the Avenger was thinking. That he needed a lot of help.  
But help was what he was going to get.

 

 

 

 

They spent the whole day together. Steve told him that it was an exercise, one to get him out and about. The first day.  
Of course, they stopped off at Randy's Donuts and then at MacDonald's. The veteran didn't seem to be pleased by the choice of outings, but he commended Tony for just going out.  
He bit into his burger, smiling. "Yeah. I feel better for going out. You proud of me, Steve? Cos I'm proud of me."  
Cap chuckled, slurping on his milkshake and then said, "You remind me of your Dad so much. When he handed me the shield, he had this joyful look on his face that you have on yours."  
Tony took another bite out of his meal and glanced away for a moment. He wished he'd gotten to know the famous Dad everyone sprouted compliments about. All he saw was Howard Stark, billionaire, genius, non-father type figure.  
"Mm. Must've been something," he murmured.  
Wrapping his arm around Tony's shoulder, startling him, Steve beamed. "You're a great person. Just like your father. You might have not known it, but it's true."  
Something inside of him twinged. Like his heart had just stopped for a moment. He knew what it was. And God, it was too soon. Too weird.  
All he could think was: Really? Of all people... he liked _Steve?_

 

 

 

 

Day two. He drove up to the Avengers Facility and spent the day with everyone. Rhodey said he was looking much better, and he smirked and quipped that he was a huge snitch. But deep down, he knew he needed the help.  
They all watched a movie. And he enjoyed it. Then they handed out the beers. He began to drink, and kept drinking, until something clasped a hand around his bottle. And there was Steve, taking it away from him.  
And he was thankful. A little embarrassed, but still thankful.  
He stayed the night, actually eating healthy (due to all the insisting that take ways weren't part of the five a day. He mostly talked to Cap about the war times. About his father. That feeling from the day before resurfaced, but he shoved it down his throat and smiled and chatted away.  
It was still there. He had a crush on Steve. And it wasn't going to go away soon.

 

 

 

 

Day three. Tony went back home and started tinkering almost immediately. But instead of the usual, he began to build. He didn't have a clue what he was doing, but he took out some of the papers Fury gave to him all that time ago, and built one of his Dad's inventions.  
It was flat, and circular, which made the billionaire extremely curious. And he soon found himself standing inside the ring, tapping it with his foot to see what it would do. It wasn't such a great idea, so he left the gadget alone, staring at it from a distance. Still nothing happened.  
Steve came back, and Tony felt faint out of fear. His smile, his body, everything stood out now. Don't drool. Don't stare. Just focus on talking. He had to remind himself of these things.  
"What are you building?" the war hero asked him, crouching and stabbing the object.  
Dropping into a computer chair, he swirled around and grinned, saying, "No clue. Pops had it in one of his notebooks."  
A flicker crossed through Steve's eye, curiosity, a little nervousness maybe. "You be careful. Don't go meddling with things you don't understand."  
Tony gave a loud scoff, standing and pretending to be offended. "Are you saying I'm not as smart as my father?"  
"No, I didn't--" stuttered Rogers, cheeks darkening. "I meant, this could be really dangerous. But, I--"  
"Hey. I'm joking," grinned Tony, walking up to him, tapping his arc reactor. "Plus.... Never worry about your heart till it stops beating. E.B. White. Great man."  
His friend didn't appear amused by the joke, and moved away from the contraption. "Let's hope that thing doesn't do anything to you. Like give you a heart attack."  
The genius chuckled. "Oh please. I'm not easily scared."

 

 

 

The two had spent the day together again. Mainly just staying in the workshop. Tony showed Steve how to make an omelette, saying Ultron could talk the talk but he couldn't cook like the cook.  
And Steve laughed. He had this cute booming laugh that made something inside him giddy. No. He couldn't feel this way. Pepper had broken up with him not long ago. He couldn't.  
They took their meals into the workshop, laughing, and happy. Tony was in front, chattering away, when suddenly, a plate smashed. He whipped around, only to see pieces of white porcelain littering the floor, and the splattered omelette.  
Steve was nowhere to be seen.  
Beside the mess was Tony's disc-like machine. Its lights flickered on and off, making a humming noise. He couldn't remember it doing that before...  
"Ughhh."  
Phew. Tony could see a boot behind one of the metal storage cupboards, and he hurried over to see if Steve was okay. When he drew closer, he realized. Steve wasn't wearing boots.  
But the man that stood up was obviously Captain America. He had the blue uniform -- although it was strange, altered and flashy -- plus he recognized the jawline and the blue eyes beneath the cowl. This was Steve.  
"What the hell are you wearing?" chuckled Tony, setting his plate down. "The machine must have given you a wardrobe change."  
Steve glared at him, eyes sharp and cold, nothing like he'd ever seen. That look, it was like... he wanted to kill him. Like he wouldn't blink if he slit his throat and cut his wrists.  
"Stark," growled Cap, stepping forward. "What sick game is this? Think you can teleport me onto your side and then kill me off, and take over The Blue?"  
Tony went very stiff, unable to avert his gaze. That hatred, the burning loathing in his voice. He really _did_ want to murder him.  
But this wasn't his Steve. No... this was... future Steve? What was he talking about? The Blue?  
"Look, buddy," began the genius, holding his palms up in a surrendering way. "I don't have a clue what you're talking about. That gadget my Dad made must've messed up the time line. Or..."  
That's when it hit him. This Steve was from a different universe. A parallel version.  
"You're not from here."  
The other Steve looked Tony up and down, glowering. "You're old."  
The billionaire folded his arms across his arc reactor, huffily exhaling. "Well that's rude. You're a fossil, old man. You may look young, but you're not."  
Different universe Steve took a dangerous step forward, expression darkening. He didn't take the slip of a joke lightly, that was clear. Tony tried to back away, but he met with a cupboard, unable to move.  
"My universe's Tony Stark or not, the Civil War is still fixed into the timeline," scowled Steve. "Has it happened yet? Or am I talking a foreign language to you?"  
"Uh. The latter. Absolute jibberish."  
Steve swung his fist, barrelling him in the jaw. He collapsed onto his knees, his face already burning from the force of the blow. He knew the war hero could hit hard. But that was insanely powerful.  
The anger and loathing seemed to fuel this Steve, and he grabbed Tony by the hair, yanking his head back and slamming it into the cupboard.  
He landed on the floor, groaning quietly, but then trying to pull himself up and scrabble out of the way. Steve yanked him to his feet, wrapping his arms around his chest and squeezing him unbearably tight.  
One of his ribs cracked and he yelled out in pain, just barely hearing his arc reactor crackle. All he could do was kick his legs, finally managing to hit evil Steve in his privates.  
Tony met the floor again, landing heavily on his chest. His breaths were rasped and his head throbbed with all the possibilities of why this was happening.  
Civil War... The Blues... It sounded like a huge fight. One where they were on opposite sides. One where they had no chance of loving each other.  
Steve raised his fist again, but Tony lifted his palm out, wheezing, "No, please. Stop. Why... why are you doing this?"  
The other Cap crouched down, rolling him over so his was face close up, breath rancid and overpowering. "You messed everything up. Typical you, Tony. You make the worst decision possible and every single person suffers. If I kill you here, I'll spare everyone the pain of your mistake."  
The genius closed his eyes tightly. He was a screw up. The weapons. Ultron. This soon to be Civil War. But maybe he could do it right. Maybe this was the warning he needed.  
He reached out and grabbed Steve's uniform, gasping for air while he said, "I'll do what you want. Change things. Killing me is the mistake. Please, Steve. Don't kill me."  
"Selfish as per usual," the parallel one spat, knocking away Tony's hand. "You value your own life more than others. You disgust me."  
Every word was like a knife to the heart. People had called him a narcissist before. Said he didn't care about the world. He knew it wasn't true. But it still hurt.  
"Please, Ste--"  
That's when he yanked it out. Tony's body jolted, trying to cling onto the arc reactor. Giving a slurred cry of agony, he landed with a thud, gaping hole in his chest. And Steve knelt above him, his life literally in his gloved hand.  
"Steve," he whimpered, just barely raising his hand up.  
The evil Cap rose to his feet, throwing the reactor to the floor, brushing his hands together, as if he had done a successful job. He turned and left, standing back on the circular gadget.  
"If only there was someone out there who loved you," he said softly, lip turned up into a wicked smile.  
The transition was bright, blinding Tony for a moment, and it engulfed the evil Steve's figure in an unbearable light. Then Steve was standing there. _His_ Steve. But instead of smiling at him, he closed his eyes, choking slightly.  
"Tony!"  
He soon felt hands on him, but his eyes were too heavy, his pulse rampaging through his ears. Too weak. Too distant. His head lolled to the side, unable to support himself.  
"Don't worry, it's okay, stay with me, soldier," Steve ordered, his voice cracking.  
The warmth left and returned, and a stabbing pain erupted in Tony's chest. He yelped, sitting up, clutching his shirt and gulping for air. The arc reactor was in place. He was alive.  
And suddenly, Steve pulled him forward, grasping the nape of his neck. Their lips pressed together, so scared and yet natural. Tony melted into it, grabbing at Steve's hair and smiling into the kiss.  
Pulling away, he smirked, "You kill me, then you save me. _Then_ you kiss me. Make up your mind. Geez."  
Steve blinked rapidly, clutching at him. "I what?!"  
Tony laughed and said, "Kiss me some more and I'll explain."


End file.
